The German Clock Route

When we were working out our route back into Germany, I found information on the German Clock Route, and how you were able to see many different museums and exhibitions on how clocks were made and the different clocks that were made and used over time. Craftsmen in the Black Forest have been making clocks since the mid 1600s, and are now famous for the cuckoo clocks.

We visited the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum (Clock Museum) in Furtwangen on our way to Triberg. It was amazing, they have over 8000 clocks.

including an atomic clock (which Matthew was fascinated by)

At the front of the museum, they had a huge model of the workings of a clock showing the cogs and how a clock actually works. Amazing to see.

We then continued on to Triberg, where we booked into our hotel and had a lovely 

dinner in the restaurant there. Matthew and I both had Atlantic Salmon (delicious), whilst Cameron had Veal in mushroom sauce. (Sorry no photos).

Today, we set out to see the sights of Triberg, including the two contenders for the "Biggest Cuckoo Clock". The first one we saw was exquisite. It was a small house where the outside back wall was the face of the clock, and the workings were inside. We could actually watch the cogs turning and see how the cuckoo clock worked. Outside, the woodcutter in front of the clock raises and lowers the axe every few seconds and the owl turns his head. There were also many other figures and items carved from wood in the garden. Utterly amazing.

The second clock we saw is actually the "Guiness Book of Records Biggest Clock", which was huge and also had a waterwheel next to it, but not as pretty as the first. 

It was also the wall of a shop, which of course we had to look in. Amazing cuckoo clocks, carved figurines, jewellery boxes and souvenier items, and we didn't buy a thing. How's that. The other wall of the shop had another clock, which was quite nice.

                                 

We then went into town for a wander around and a look at more clocks and animated figures. Very clever (this one was on the House of a 1000 Cuckoos) and the little bear on the side climbs up and down the rope, whilst the other ones move. We watched it for ages.

We then decided to walk to the waterfall, only a few minutes from town, before lunch. (Only a few minutes distance, but it took nearly half an hour to walk to the top of the waterfall).

After that, we were fairly hungry so headed off to the Cafe Schaffer (where I read they had the best Black Forrest cake), but it was shut. We ended up in a little Italian restaurant that had delicious pasta and pizza. That finished us off. We walked back to the hotel and vegged out, until I decided that I still wanted my coffee and cake and we went back down town. (No black forest, but this was a vanilla one with cream and a cherry jam). An acceptable alternative.

We headed out of town in the morning (stopping at Cafe Schaffer, who didn't have any Black Forrest cake), and saw another large clock and the World's Biggest Toilet, near Hornberg. 

So that was our clock route. The real route is 320kms, but we'd seen enough clocks. Triberg would have to be the prettiest town that we have seen tho, and well worth the two night stop. Next it's up to Trier and Nurburg.